# NTSB LAX94FA243: Piper PA-28-161, N4512Z, Banning, CA, June 9, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: June 9, 1994, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Banning, CA - Coordinates: 33.950786, -116.83023 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9508&lon=-116.8302&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report April 25, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28533 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX94FA243 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28533/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94FA243 ## Probable cause (aircraft 2) THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER. THE HAZE WAS A FACTOR. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Midair collision, cruise - weather condition - haze/smoke (contributing factor) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - Midair collision, maneuvering - weather condition - haze/smoke (contributing factor) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis (aircraft 2) THE PA-28, N4512Z, WAS WESTBOUND IN LEVEL FLIGHT ABOUT 1,000 FT AGL, ABOUT 2 MILES NORTH OF AN AIRPORT AT WHICH AN INTERMEDIATE STOP WAS PLANNED. THE CE-T207A, N6383H, WAS MANEUVERING IN LEFT TURNS WHILE CONDUCTING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, AND HAD JUST INITIATED A TURN TOWARD THE EAST. THE LEFT WINGS OF EACH AIRCRAFT WERE STRUCK BY THE OTHER AIRPLANE. WITNESSES INDICATED THAT ABOUT 2 SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT, THE PA-28 ATTEMPTED TO AVOID A COLLISION BY BEGINNING A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. EACH AIRCRAFT CONTINUED PAST THE OTHER AND THEN BOTH SPIRALED TO THE GROUND. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR, VISIBILITY 3 MILES IN HAZE. NEITHER AIRPLANE WAS IN RADAR OR VOICE CONTACT WITH ANY FAA FACILITY. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 2) HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 9, 1994, about 1630 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA28-161, N4512Z, collided with a Cessna T207A, N6383H, about 2 miles north of Banning, California. Both aircraft were being operated under visual flight rules (VFR) under Title 14 CFR Part 91. N4512Z, operated by Air Desert Pacific, La Verne, California, was destroyed. A noncertificated student pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The accident flight departed the Blythe Airport, Blythe, California, about 1529 hours as the return portion of an authorized solo cross-country flight that originated at Brackett Field, La Verne, about 1200 hours. The pilot had filed a VFR flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. N6383H, operated by I.K. Curtis Services, Inc., Burbank, California, was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. A certificated commercial pilot and a photography technician passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated at the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, Burbank, about 1149 hours as a photographic survey flight over areas in the San Fernando Valley, Banning, and San Diego. No flight plan was filed. Witnesses reported that N4512Z was observed flying westbound about 1,000 feet above the ground (agl). The pilot had planned to stop at Banning airport as part of his cross-country solo flight. N6383H was observed to be maneuvering in the area in a left turn. The purpose of the flight was to photograph specific targets in the area of the accident. Each target specified an altitude of 1,200 feet above the ground. Due to differences in ground elevation, the aircraft's mean sea level altitude varied from 3,300 feet to 3,600 feet. Just prior to impact, witnesses indicated that N4512Z appeared to begin an evasive maneuver by climbing. Following impact, both aircraft continued past each other about 500 feet and then spiral to the ground. Following ground impact, the wreckage of N6383H initiated about a 20-acre grass fire. The wreckage of N4512Z was located about 1/2 mile west of N6383H. The left wing of N4512Z was located about halfway between the two wreckage sites. OTHER DAMAGE About a 20-acre brushfire was ignited by the wreckage of N6383H. The fire damaged several buildings on the Morongo Indian Reservation. CREW INFORMATION The pilot of N4512Z was issued a student pilot/third-class medical certificate on December 4, 1991. The pilot held a current third-class medical certificate that was issued on April 14, 1994, and contained no limitations. The pilot of N6383H held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine and multiengine land and instrument airplane ratings. The most recent first-class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on July 21, 1993, and contained no limitations. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION N4512Z had accumulated a total time in service of 5,431 flight hours. The most recent annual inspection was accomplished on June 1, 1994. N6383H had accumulated a total time in service of 8,545 flight hours. The most recent annual inspection was accomplished on March 25, 1994. Examination of the maintenance records for each aircraft revealed no unresolved maintenance discrepancies against either aircraft prior to departure. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The closest official weather observation station is Beaumont, California, which is located 7 nautical miles west of the accident site. At 1646 hours, a surface observation was reporting in part: Sky condition and ceiling, clear; visibility, 3 miles in haze; temperature, 97 degrees F; dew point, 44 degrees F; wind, 320 degrees at 8 knots. Palm Springs, California, is located 25 nautical miles east of the accident site. At 1536 hours, a surface observation was reporting in part: Sky condition and ceiling, clear; visibility, 25; temperature, 109 degrees F; wind, 120 degrees at 15 knots; altimeter, 29.74 inHg. COMMUNICATIONS The two aircraft were not in radar contact or voice communication with any known Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control (ATC) facilities at the time of the accident. N4512Z had previously been receiving VFR traffic advisories from the Palm Springs, California, Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON) from 1603 to 1624 hours. Advisory services had been terminated about 6 minutes before, approximately 7 miles east of the accident site. AERODROME AND GROUND FACILITIES The Banning Airport is located about 2 miles south of the accident site. The published elevation of the airport is 2,219 feet mean sea level (msl). The traffic pattern altitude is 3,219 feet, 1,000 feet above the ground (agl). The airport is equipped with a single hard-surfaced runway on a 080/260 degree magnetic orientation. The runway is 5,200 feet long by 150 feet wide. The airport/facility directory indicates that a right-hand traffic pattern (north of the airport) is utilized when landing on runway 26. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION N4512Z National Transportation Safety Board investigators examined the wreckage of both aircraft at the accident site on June 10, 1994, and, after retrieval, at Aero Aviation, Compton, California, on June 11, 1994. Numerous segments of both airplane's wing structure were located scattered between the separated wing of N4512Z and the point of ground impact of N6383H. Additionally, numerous portions of both airplanes were located scattered up to about 1/4 mile south of the ground impact site of N6383H. N4512Z was painted white with blue and grey accent striping. N6383H was painted white with butterscotch and brown trim. The left wing of N4512Z separated about 6 feet inboard from the wing tip faring attach point. The outboard wing tip faring was missing. The wing was located at latitude 33 degrees, 56.58 minutes North and longitude 116 degrees, 49.82 minutes West, about 1/4 mile east of the main fuselage. The wing is predominately painted white with a grey paint stripe oriented chordwise at the outboard end. A blue chordwise stripe is about 1 inch inboard from the grey stripe. The inboard end of the separated wing displayed aft crushing, wrinkling, and upward curling of the inboard separated end, beginning about 1 inch inboard of the stall warning sensor. The wing spar exhibited aft bending and curling at the point of separation. Yellow/green paint transfers were noted on the underside of the wing, along the folded edges of the wing skin, and the forward face of the wing spar structure at the point of separation. About 2 feet of the outboard end of the aileron remained attached to the wing at the outboard hinge bracket. The trailing half of the wing structure, from the inboard separated end of the aileron, to the aft face of the wing spar in an inboard direction, was torn away and missing, exposing the aft face of the spar. The underside of the separated wing exhibited three diagonal scratches with faint blue paint smudges oriented from the outboard leading edge corner towards the inboard trailing edge of the wing. The angle of scratch marks was measured in relation to the chordline of the wing. The most forward scratch was oriented at a 25-degree angle from the chordline. The next aft mark was oriented at a 52-degree angle and the most aft mark at a 30- degree angle. The outboard, underside of the leading edge, exhibited an indentation with diagonal scratches and blue smudges. The airplane's main fuselage struck the ground at latitude 33 degrees, 56.64 minutes North and longitude 116 degrees, 50.18 minutes West on about a 045-degree heading. The right wing remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited extensive spanwise leading edge aft crushing and folding back to the wing spar. The leading edge also exhibited several semicircular aft crushing areas located about 6 feet, 10 feet, and 15 feet inboard from the outboard wing tip faring attach point. The aileron and flap remained attached to the wing. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N4512Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4512Z-2012-11-29), registration cancelled 2012-11-29, S/N 28-8016020, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-8016020 - Airframe hours: 5431 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D3G 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Air Desert Pacific - Registered owner: Ari D. Lapin - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 1994, 41 hours before - Departed: BLH, BLYTHE, CA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: BNG, Banning ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N6383H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6383H-1995-07-13), registration cancelled 1995-07-13, S/N 20700504 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T207A - Registry model: [Cessna T207A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t207a) (registry code 2073614) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20700504 - Airframe hours: 8545 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-M 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: I.K. Curtis Services, Inc. - Registered owner: I.K. Curtis Services, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 25, 1994, 88 hours before - Departed: BUR, BURBANK, CA - Destination: SAN DIEGO, CA - Airport: BNG, Banning ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N4512Z; age 31; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 114 total, 77 in this make and model, 18 as pilot in command - Pilot, aircraft N6383H; age 32; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 5,032 total, 1,160 in this make and model, 4,927 as pilot in command, 148 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 8 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 45 °F - Observed at: BUO, 7 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940609014592A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940609014592A), Jun 9, 1994: Piper PA28161, Banning, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Solo cross country collided with N6383H. Observed begin evasive maneuver prior collision. Both spiraled to ground. - [Accident 19940609014591A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940609014591A), Jun 9, 1994: Cessna T207A, Banning, CA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. During photography flight was circling target. Collided with N4512Z that was to land at airport. Both fell to ground From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.